80’s Fashion Meets German Function: Gregory And His 944

A few months ago, while in Brooklyn, NY, I stumbled upon a magnificent 944 driven by a very young guy- the fact that in such a young age he drove a car like that made me curious about his story and I knew immediately I wanted him on Carphiles. The heavy traffic was on my side, as I decided to approach him. It gave me the time to walk up to him, and awkwardly introduce myself, giving him the Carphiles business card. “If you like the project and you want to be featured give me a call!” and so he did on that same afternoon. Here is what we talked about:

Tell me about yourself.

My name is Gregory. I’m 26 years young and I work for Bonhams Auctioneers, in the collectors’ motorcar department.

What was your first car?

The car was a ’97 Laser Red Audi A4, 1.8T sedan. I purchased it from the original owner who ticked every box for options except one: Quattro, surely something you’d like during Northeast winters. No matter, it didn’t stop me from loving the car. It had manually operated, heated cloth sports seats in grey, how could you beat that?

How did you first become interested in cars and why especially in Porsche?

I was fortunate enough to have a relationship with my dad. He continually had interesting cars, always restoring, buying, selling, and trading. When I was young, he had a 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A, red over black, a ’90 Dodge Shadow Competition Package (1/30) and an ’87 Porsche 944 Turbo…but those cars were soon traded for others, and those were traded too.

From sitting in the child’s seat to the passenger, to eventually pirouetting the car around a track, although I’ve changed, the car has remained constant. Porsche to me has always been aspirational and I’ve always admired them. The differences between an ’84 and an ’85 or a ‘68 and a ‘69 are subtle but linear. I love the evolution.

How and when did you come across the 944?

I’ve always been a fan of the transaxle cars, especially 968s. Although my experience was more so around 968s, I wanted something different. Where 1980s fashion meets German function, out came the stylistic 944, and I needed one. I was looking for some time, but nothing really came up. Finally, I saw a listing for a car in Connecticut, in the local Porsche community classifieds. I got a few photos and knew it was a good one. One weekend with a friend, some cash, and a plate, we signed the papers and passed the ownership.

Do you know about your 944’s history and previous owners and do you have any particular story to tell?

I moved on this car because of how honest of an example it was, complete with all the books, toolkit, and invoices since new. The owner before me was a machinist, he ensured the car was perfect from a mechanical perspective. He had the car for most of its life! I’m just the 3rd owner. The car has original Fuchs wheels and is complete with Sport Seats, a Sport Steering Wheel, and a Limited Slip Differential.

What is it about transaxle Porsche you like compared to traditional air-cooled machines?

To me, the car is faultless. Every angle, every aspect is pure. There is no vanity, only purpose. As I drive along, visibility is clear and the chassis poised. I’ve moved an electric piano in this car, I moved a mattress with this car. It’s a no-nonsense, no compromise sports car which to me fundamentally surpasses its air-cooled brethren.

What’s your favorite detail or what do you love most about your car?

I love the simplicity of the early 944s model. From the 5-digit dash, to the 1pm positioned tach which sweeps down. It goes back to that whole, “no nonsense, no compromise” bit I said earlier.

What is your favorite memory with your 944?

The car gets used a lot as a prop in whatever nonsense my friends and I get into. It’s privy to some startling stuff.

How does it feel to drive a classic car in a city with a lot of traffic like New York? You use it every day?

It’s an absolute delight really. The City offers a unique set of challenges. Try timing the lights – ask any cab driver this. Servicing a car isn’t super easy in the city. A friend and I found a quiet spot under a bridge here in Brooklyn – surely a great place to do a brake job. As for everyday use? I stick to being chauffeured with the help from the M local train.

Is there any other classic car you would like to have?

There are so many. If I was to stay in the transaxle world, I’d like a ‘93 968 Turbo S, one that hasn’t been converted into a racecar: Porsche created just 16 examples. Going pre-war, I’d love a brass-era Ford Model T. A Lancia Flaminia 3C Coupe would be great in my stable, as would a ’71 Plymouth Cuda.

by Alexberlinetta Spring/Summer in Berlin could have a very special weather. One of those special days, Dirk invited me to meet and go on a ride in his FANTASTIC 1971 Gran Turismo Maserati Indy America 4.7. Dirk was one of the first Carphiles that I met in Berlin,...

by Alexberlinetta While I was in Bangkok, Thailand, I had the great opportunity to meet Tamm and his 1964 Mercedes-Benz 220S. Tamm named the 220S “Frank” after a very well known singer: “This W111 has that subtle charm for him, like Mr.Sinatra himself.” Tamm told me....

One of the best details of this 911 RSR for me and for many Porsche enthusiast is the ducktail spoiler, making it distinguishable from any other 911, as well as the race track history behind it back in the ’70s.

I spent the first days of October 2015 exploring Berlin for the first time. I was biking in Mitte, on Axel-Springer-Straße, and all of a sudden a voice in my head urges me to look up to my right and at that moment I see a very beautiful 1981 DMC-12 DeLorean standing right in the middle of the park of the Axel-Springer building. What a coincidence to see one of my favorite cars there, waiting for me to photograph it and of course admire this piece of history that I’m sure we all know.

A couple of months ago during my visit in Paris, a Carphiles friend from there, Alex, kindly introduced me to Henri, who owns a timeless piece of the design, a very rare SL60 AMG Mercedes-Benz in a Special Edition. I remember this car was ‘’the thing’’ back in the 90’s and everyone had a scale model of it, it also appeared on posters and even was featured in a music video. Personally, I’m a big fan of SL’s.

My recent trip to Miami was my very first time in this magnificent city. While I was exploring I found one of the greatest concrete parking lots I’ve ever been to – it perfectly matched with the 912 I was about to shoot. It is one of the most important things for me to have a great ambiance for a great car! I think I have a special feeling for the 912 in particular.

I start 2017 with a story about Gabriel, a good friend of mine from Buenos Aires, who introduces me to the world of cars there. He is the third owner of one of the most beautiful BMW 635CSi, or “BE EME”, as he calls it, in Argentina, and he was lucky to have got it in extremely good condition – with only 75.000 km from factory.

by Alexberlinetta It’s a rainy day in Paris, but for me, it’s perfect for photographs. I meet Olivier, a marketing and art director for Eastpak, who owns a very outstanding Porsche 944 Rothmans. Despite the bad weather, we had a lot of fun taking pictures with a...

I have to admit that Hamburg is one of my favourites cities in Germany: good vibes, nice surroundings and of course A LOT OF CLASSICS CARS! On one of my visits to the city my best friend from Berlin, Martin kindly introduced me to Ole and his wonderful Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior.

On May 15th, I had my first experience at the 1000 Miglia – and it was amazing! There were some of the most incredible cars of the automotive history on the road today and I think 1000 Miglia is an ode to the golden times of the automobile.

My recent trip to Miami was my very first time in this magnificent city. While I was exploring I found one of the greatest concrete parking lots I’ve ever been to – it perfectly matched with the 912 I was about to shoot. It is one of the most important things for me to have a great ambiance for a great car! I think I have a special feeling for the 912 in particular.

I have a special affinity for the E24, it was the first classic that I photographed properly. I feel the M6 is an incredible car. I enjoyed it on different occasions in Berlin, and outside of the city in summer and spring for a drive with my friend. For this reason, you will see different locations in the photos below.

Privacy Preference Center

Consent Management

Necessary

Advertising

Analytics

Other

Carphiles uses cookies to optimise the website, as well as enable the availability of certain functions. By continuing to use this website, you agree to our use of cookies. For further information on how we use cookies, please click here